Fiat Group and Chrysler Post Strong Second Quarter Results

Fiat Group and Chrysler had a strong second quarter with increases in unit sales, revenue and net income. 

Fiat Group as a whole sold 1,155,000 cars worldwide in the second quarter of 2013, 53,000 more cars than in Q2 2012. It had net revenue of €22.325 billion, €801 million more than in Q2 2012. Earnings before interest and taxes were up €125 million to €1.057 billion. Net profit after one-time expenses was €423 million, up €117 million from Q2 2012. 

While these numbers look positive, there is a major problem hidden in them. These figures were for all of Fiat Group, including Chrysler. When Chrysler was excluded from the financial results, earnings before interest and taxes fell to €90 million, €6 million less than Q2 2012. Net profit for Fiat excluding Chrysler was a loss of €192 million, compared to a loss of €154 million in Q2 2012. 

Sales continued to fall in Europe but were strong in Asia. European sales from Fiat Group hit 287,000 units, down 5% from Q2 2012. In Asia, Fiat Group sales were up 46% to 38,000 cars. 

North America was Fiat Group's largest market with 572,000 units sold, up 4% from Q2 2012. 

Latin American sales were also up by 14% to 258,000 cars.

Chrysler

Chrysler by itself had net revenue of $18 billion, up 7% from Q2 2012. It had operating profit of $808 million, up $53 million from Q2 2012. Net income was $507 million, up $71 million from Q2 2012. It sold 660,000 cars in the quarter, 30,000 cars more than Q2 2012.

Chrysler sales were up 17% in the US, which was its largest market gain. It holds 11.4% of the US auto market, up from 11.2% from Q2 2012.

"Chrysler Group is poised for a very strong performance in the second half of the year, with the new Jeep Grand Cherokee andRam 1500 pickup earning best-in-class recognition, and the all-new Jeep Cherokee now rolling off the line,” said Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne.

Ferrari

Ferrari sold 1,969 cars in the second quarter, up 2%. The US is Ferrari's largest market with 481 cars sold, up 6%. 

It posted earnings before interest and taxes of €96 million, up €8 million from Q2 2012.

Maserati

Maserati sold 2,291 cars in the second quarter, up 29%. It had earnings before interest and taxes of €9 million, down €6 million from Q2 2012. The reduced profit was due to launching the new Quattroporte.

Fiat Group and Chrysler Post Strong Second Quarter Results :: News :: autoviva.com

Ferrari LaFerrari

Ferrari has finally revealed its successor to the Enzo, and it is mighty impressive – except maybe for the name. The new top of the Ferrari range is the LaFerrari, and as awful as that name may be, its specs are much more impressive.  It will be limited to 499 units worldwide. The heart of the LaFerrari is its 6.3-liter V12 and HY-KERS hybrid system with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. As expected, the LaFerrari's V12 comes from the F12berlinetta, but it is even more powerful than we had anticipated with 950hp and more than 664lb-ft (900Nm) of torque.  The V12 with a redline at 9,250rpm contributes 789hp, and the electric motor gives a further 161hp. The electric motor only provides a boost to the engine, and the LaFerrari is not able to drive on pure electric power.  However, Ferrari says that HY-KERS will be able to drive future Ferraris. The batteries are charged under regenerative braking and whenever the engine produces more torque than necessary. According to Ferrari that will be enough to move the LaFerrari to 100km/h in less than three seconds to a top speed of over 350km/h (217.5mph). Ferrari says that the looks of the car is inspired by Ferrari sports racers from the late 60s, but it is not hard to see shades of the 458Ferrari 458 ItaliaItaly, 2009 > present676 photos1 video and Enzo in the LaFerrari as well. “We chose to call this model LaFerrari because it is the maximum expression of what defines our company – excellence. Excellence in terms of technological innovation, performance, visionary styling and the sheer thrill of driving,” said Ferrari Chairman Luca di Montezemolo. The chassis for the LaFerrari is nearly as special as the powertrain. Ferrari achieves a 41:59 weight distribution, which it says is ideal, by placing nearly all of the car’s mass between the axles. To do this Ferrari went to extremes. The chassis is made from four types of carbon fiber. The seats are fixed in place, but the steering wheel and pedals are adjustable. As with most modern supercars, the LaFerrari uses active aerodynamics to improve handling, but they are less obvious than its contemporaries. The LaFerrari has active diffusers and guide vanes in the front and an active diffuser and spoiler in the rear.  They deploy automatically when the system deems it necessary. The LaFerrari will be on sale later this year, but Ferrari has not revealed a price yet. It has been showing the car to VIPs around the world for preorders, and previous reports indicated that all 499 cars had already been sold.  via autoviva.com

Ferrari Tops 2013 Ranking of Strongest Brands

Ferrari had a fantastic year in 2012. It has just reported its financial information for 2012, and unit sales and revenue were higher than ever before. It has also been named the strongest brand in the world in an annual survey by BrandFinance. “We are all enormously proud of ending the year with these kinds of results despite the unfavorable economic backdrop in many European nations, and the distinctly hostile one in Italy,” said Ferrari Chairman Luca di Montezemolo.  Ferrari had its best year since 2008 in 2012. It sold 7,318 cars, up 4.5%, and had total revenue of €2.433 billion, up 8%. Net profits were €244 million, up 17.8%. For each car sold, Ferrari had an average profit of 14.4%.  Ferrari has been investing in future technology and spent €324.3 million, up from €280 million in 2011.  Sales were clearly quite strong for Ferrari in 2012. For the first time ever, Ferrari sold over 2,000 cars in North America with 2,058 cars sold, up 14.6%. Ferrari did not give total sales in Europe, but said that sales were up in the UK (20.4%), Switzerland (17.4%) and Germany (8.2%). Sales in Italy were down 46% in 2012 to 318 cars. Sales in the Middle East were up 4.5% to 556 cars; Chinese sales were up 4% to 784 cars. Japanese sales were up 14.4% to 302 cars.  Ferrari also made €50 million from branding and licensing its name, up 40% from 2011.  The BrandFinance Global Top 500 is an annual report that measures the most valuable brands and strongest brands in all sectors worldwide. The 2013 has just been released and found that Ferrari is the strongest brand in the world. The strength rating is based on what BrandFinance values brands at this year compared to last year, plus their financial results.  According to the report, the Ferrari brand is worth $3.6 billion in 2013, compared to $3.3 billion in 2012. Ferrari beat out Google, Coca-Cola, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Hermes in the top five strongest brands ranking.  The most valuable brands in the world according to the report for 2013 are Apple, Samsung, Google, Microsoft and Wal-Mart. BrandFinance has not released the rest of the 2013 report yet.  via autoviva.com

Ferrari, la marque la plus influente du monde !

Le cheval cabré sait entretenir son mythe ! Après avoir affiché un niveau de ventes historique en 2012 (7318 livraisons), faisant même totalement fi de la crise en Europe, Ferrari apparaît au premier rang du classement des 500 marques les plus influentes du monde établi par le cabinet britannique Brand Finance.

L'étude porte sur la puissance des marques et, si elle intègre des items économiques (chiffres d'affaires, profitabilité, dépenses publicitaires...), elle tient aussi compte de la perception de la marque en général comme par ses clients. Si Ferrari a posté des résultats financiers record pour 2012, c'est sur la deuxième dimension qu'elle distance d'autres géants.

Ferrari apparaît ainsi devant des marques comme Apple, Google, Samsung, Coca Cola ou encore Hermès.

via journalauto.com

Ferrari motorisera Alfa Romeo

"Ferrari prendra un rôle plus actif dans le développement d'Alfa Romeo, comme cela a déjà été fait par le passé pour Maserati", a révélé Sergio Marchionne, lors d'une conférence avec des analystes, le 30 janvier dernier. Le patron du groupe Fiat-Chrysler a précisé qu'une annonce officielle serait faite au cours du mois à venir.

Qu'on ne s'y trompe pas, il n'est pas question de mettre un moteur Ferrari sous le capot des Alfa Romeo. Les blocs resteront toujours flanqués de l'écusson du constructeur milanais, mais bénéficieront de l'expertise des ingénieurs dans le domaine des supercars. Toutefois, le groupe est conscient qu'il est nécessaire de réintroduire la dimension sportive chère à la marque.

Pour mémoire, Alfa Romeo multiplie les propositions de plans depuis novembre dernier, afin de tripler ses volumes annuels, à 300000 unités. Il est notamment prévu de lancer pas moins de neuf nouveaux produits entre 2013 et 2016, dont la Giulia (remplaçante de la 159), puis un roadster fabriqué en collaboration avec Mazda (2015) et la 4C, qui sera produite à 2500 unités par an (1000 pour l'Europe, autant pour les Etats-Unis et 500 pour le reste du monde), dès la fin 2013. 

via journalauto.com

Scuderia Ferrari - Maranello, Italy

Bonjour,
Nous voici maintenant toujours a Maranello, mais au departement course.
La premiere photo montre le sein du sein de la Scuderia Ferrari, l'equipe de course.
La deuxieme et la troisieme photos montrent l'entree du departement competition client, la ou Torro-Rosso et Sauber viennent se fournir en moteurs pour leur Formule 1. Lorsque vous faites face a la Scuderia, comme sur la premiere photo, ce departement ce situe a droite de la rue.
Enfin, la quatrieme photo, prise face au service competition-client, donc a gauche de la rue de la Scuderia, ne montre pas grand chose, si ce n'est tout au fond, derriere la grille verte, la Ferrari 599XX presentee precedemment qui est garee ici dans un coin derriere un batiment, sur le bord de la piste de Fiorano.
A bientot,
auTHOMobilia


Hello,
Here we are now still in Maranello, but right in front of the Scuderia Ferrari, the competition department from Ferrari. This you can see on the first picture.
The second and the third pictures show the Competition Service for Customers, such as Torro-Rosso and Sauber. This is where they get their Formula 1 engines from. When looking straight at the Scuderia, this department is on the right of the street.
The fourth picture, taken left of the same street, shows in the background, behind the green fence, the Ferrari 599XX that was tested before. It is simply parked here, at the bottom of a simple building by the Fiorano track.
See you soon,
auTHOMobilia

Ferrari Plant - Maranello, Italy

Bonjour,
Nous voici maintenant face au mythe, l'usine Ferrari. J'ai vu cette entree tant de fois dans des livres et des magazines quand j'etais gamin, et meme plus tard, que cela m'a fait tout drole d'y etre 'en vrai' ;-)
La premiere photo montre l'entree historique.
La deuxieme photo est prise par l'arriere de l'usine, l'entree moderne.
Enfin, la troisieme photo montre le restaurant en face de l'entree historique. Celui-ci aussi je l'ai souvent vu dans des livres consacres a Ferrari. Enzo lui meme y mangeait.
A bientot,
auTHOMobilia


Hello,
Here we are now, in front of the myth, the Ferrari plant... I saw this entrance so many times in books and periodicals when I was kid, and later too. It is a strange feeling to be there in the flesh ;-)
The first picture show the historical entrance.
The second picture is taken from the back, the modern entrance to the plant.
The third picture shows the restaurant in front of the historical entrance. This too I saw a lot of times in books and magazines. Enzo itself used to eat there.
See you soon,
auTHOMobilia

Fiorano & 599XX - Maranello, Italy

Bonjour,
Me voici just'arrive a Maranello. J'entends un bruit sur la piste de Fiorano... Je trouve un endroit d'ou je peux voir la piste, et la...

1ere photo - Il y a une Ferrari qui tourne, trouvez la quelque part sur la photo...
2eme photo - Ah la voici, mais l'animal est beaucoup trop rapide pour mes talents de photographe...
3- Ah, enfin la voila. Une Ferrari 599XX!!!

La Ferrari 599XX est une voiture produite a seulement 30 exemplaires, qui coutait en 2009 plus d'1 million d'Euros... Pour ce prix, vous ne pouvez pas la conduire sur route ouverte. En effet, cette voiture n'est pas homologuee pour la route. Pour la somme depensee, en fait vous participez au programme de developpement de Ferrari, qui achemine quelques fois par an les voitures sur circuit avec techniciens, etc...
La 599XX developpe 700 chevaux, et une de ses originalites est de disposer de 2 ventilateurs dans le coffre... Ceux-ci aspirent l'air sous la voiture pour la plaquer au sol, et le recrache par les trous laisses a l'emplacement des 2 feux arrieres...
A bientot,
auTHOMobilia



Hello,
Here I am now in Maranello, and I ear a noise coming from the Fiorano track... I find a spot where I can look at the track, and there...

1st picture - There is a Ferrari somewhere, try to locate it on the picture...
2nd picture - Ah, here it is, but the animal is too fast for my photograph's talent...
3rd - Ah, here it is, a Ferrari 599XX!!!

Only 30 Ferrari 599XX were built, and they costed more than 1 million Euros in 2009... And for this price, you can't drive the car on the open road, as it is not homologated for road use. Instead, for this price, you are an integral part of Ferrari development track sessions. Ferrari brings the car to several tracks with technicians, etc along the year.
The 599XX is good for 700 HP, and one unique feature is to have 2 fans in the trunk... These suck the air under the car, so as to have the car stuck to the ground, and let the airflow go through the place left empty by the back lights...
See you soon,
auTHOMobilia

En route to Maranello - Modena, Italy

Bonjour,
Nous voici maintenant a Modene, et que vois-je en vitrine d'un des garages ou je vais frequemment faire un tour lorsque je suis a Modene? Une magnifique Ferrari F50 jaune...
Cette voiture est un des mythes de Ferrari, bien que je lui prefere la F40 au niveau du style.
Presentee en 1995, cette voiture a ete produite a 349 exemplaires (selon le vieil adage d'Enzo Ferrari: toujours produire un exemplaire de moins que ce que l'on peut vendre).
Elle est equipee d'un V12 de 520 Chevaux, et pouvait atteindre les 320 km/h.
Le 50 de F50 devait celebrer les 50 ans de la marque Ferrari, mais cette voiture est sortie 2 ans trop tot. Les 50 ans de Ferrari, c'etait en 1997...
Elle coutait dans les environs de 400 000 Euros deja a l'epoque.
A bientot,
auTHOMobilia



Hello,
Here we are now in Modena, and what do I see in the window of a garage I go to every time I visit the city? A magnificent yellow Ferrari F50...
This car is a mythical Ferrari, even if in terms of design I prefer the F40.
Unveiled in 1995, 349 Ferrari F50 were built (As Enzo Ferrari put it, always built 1 car less than what you can sell). It has a 520 HP V12, and could reach 320 km/h.
The 50 in the F50 name was a celebration of the 50 years of the Ferrari brand, but this car was 2 year too early, as the 50th birthday was actually on 1997...
It costed around 400,000 Euros already at that time.
See you soon,
auTHOMobilia

Ferrari SA Aperta - Paris, France

Bonjour,
Voici la Ferrari SA Aperta, devoilee au Mondial de Paris 2010.
Il s'agit d'une Ferrari 599 Cabriolet. Aperta veut dire 'Ouvert' en Italien, ce qui se comprend pour un cabriolet, et le SA de son nom est en hommage a Sergio et Andrea Pininfarina.
Seulement 80 vont etre produites, car elle celebre les 80 ans de Pininfarina, et toutes ont ete vendues avant la presentation. Elle developpe 670CV, vu qu'elle herite du bloc moteur de la Ferrari 599 GTO.
A bientot,
auTHOMobilia


Hello,
Here is the Ferrari SA Aperta, unveiled at the 2010 Paris car show.
It is a Ferrari 599 Convertible. Aperta means 'Open' in Italian, and this is understandable for a convertible. The SA in the name stands as an hommage to Sergio and Andrea Pininfarina.
Only 80 will be built as this car celebrates the 80th birthday of Pininfarina, and all have been sold before the official unveiling. It develops 670HP, as it has the engine of the Ferrari 599 GTO.
See you soon,
auTHOMobilia.

Vignale Ferrari 212 Inter Berlinetta - Vignale 1951

Bonjour,

Aujourd'hui, du lourd... Une Ferrari 212 Inter Berlinetta de 1951, par Vignale. Elle etait a vendre par un concessionnaire Ferrari en Flandres. Elle est magnifique, splendide. Les photos ne sont pas bonnes, comme d'habitude (iPhone et ma faute), mais faites des recherches sur Internet. Elle a des ailes arrieres originales, de meme que les phares et feux.

A bientot,

Thom.

Hello,

Today, an exceptional catch, a Ferrari 212 Inter Berlinetta from 1951, by Vignale. It was for sale at a Ferrari Dealer in Flanders. It is exquisite, magnificent. Pictures are bad quality as usual (iPhone), but look for it on the internet. It has fins, the front and back lights are special design, etc...

See you,

Thom.